Jan. 8-14 Movies Calendar

What's showing at area theaters

THE FUNKY BUNCH: Mark Wahlberg puts on his intense face as Marcus Luttrell in “Lone Survivor,” which follows four Navy SEALs on a mission to take out a Taliban operative before they’re ambushed in Afghanistan.

47 RONIN2 starsRated PG-13 He’s a long way from an excellent adventure, but Keanu Reeves is clawing his way back up. In this action-fantasy-adventure, he plays Kai, a half-Brit/half-Japanese man recruited by Oishi, respected leader of the 47 Ronin, a band of awesome samurai. Even if you don’t follow the intricate plot, you’ll like the visuals and the score.

AMERICAN HUSTLE2 1/2 starsRated R Writer-director David O. Russell has fashioned a beautiful, cinematic junk heap that’s likeable and engaging despite its overly long running time, sloppy screenplay and rambling structure. For professional scam artist Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale, with the best comb-over we’ve seen in years), working with the Feds is tougher than running cons. He’s helping the FBI (Bradley Cooper) nab public officials on the take in the infamous Abscam operation. Co-stars Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence.

THE BOOK THIEF4 starsRated PG-13 Amid the chaos and horror of WWII, Liesel (Sophie Nélisse) steals books – before the Nazis can burn them – and shares them with the folks around her. Based on the novel by Markus Zusak, the drama co-stars Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson.

DHOOM 32 starsNot Rated Bollywood superstar Abhishek Bachchan plays a tough cop in this third installment in a popular series. Co-stars Aamir Khan and Uday Chopra. In Hindi, English, Tamil and Telugu.

GRUDGE MATCH3 1/2 starsRated PG-13 No, it’s not Rocky Balboa vs. Jake LaMotta (wouldn’t that be awesome?). It’s two old – as in former and years – boxers coming out of retirement for one last fight, to settle old scores. Co-starring Sylvester Stallone, Robert De Niro, Kim Basinger, Alan Arkin and Kevin Hart. Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield pop up, too.

THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG3 stars Rated PG-13 Co-writer and director Peter Jackson has stretched J.R.R. Tolkien’s books into lucrative movies and made stars of the cast members, including Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Orlando Bloom, Evangeline Lilly, Luke Evans and Ian McKellen. Then there’s the titular Smaug (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch), a villainous fire-breathing dragon who lays claim to Bilbo’s homeland. The film sings with vibrant colors and stunning images.

JUSTIN BIEBER’S BELIEVE1 1/2 stars Rated PG The Beebs in all his glory. Billed as the “real story” behind the megastar’s rise to fame, this documentary is no doubt a must-see for his screaming fans.

THE LEGEND OF HERCULESRated PG-13 • Opens Jan. 10Kellan Lutz plays Hercules, a demigod of ancient Greece who is supposed to oust a bad king. Unaware of his destiny, this fella just wants to settle down with his true love, who’s betrothed to his brother, who’s really his half-brother … Anyway, lots of fighting and muscles rippling and sweaty guys in skimpy body armor. Co-stars Gaia Weiss, Scott Adkins, Johnathan Schaech and Rade Serbedzija as the powerful centaur Chiron.

MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM3 1/2 stars Rated PG-13Oscar-nominated screenwriter William Nicholson’s film follows Nelson Mandela (Idris Elba) from childhood, his 27 years in prison, his victorious release and election as South Africa’s first black president in 1994. The movie effectively examines the many battles Mandela had to face throughout his life, not only against the white rulers but against members of his own African National Congress and, even more difficult, his wife Winnie Mandela (Naomie Harris).

NEBRASKA3 1/2 stars Rated R Cantankerous Woody Grant (Bruce Dern, getting long-overdue Oscar buzz) gets a piece of junk mail declaring him the winner of $1 million, so he convinces David (Will Forte) – the son who’s never quite synched with his old man – to drive him to Lincoln, Nebraska, to claim the prize. Co-stars Stacy Keach, June Squibb and Bob Odenkirk.

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: THE MARKED ONESRated RAnother in the series of creepy same old, same old: Attractive young people are dropping like flies. Ho-hum. Co-stars Andrew Jacobs, Jorge Diaz, Gloria Sandoval and Molly Ephraim.

SAVING MR. BANKS3 stars Rated PG-13 P.L. Travers (Emma Thompson), author of the popular “Mary Poppins” series of children’s books, travels to Disney Studios in Los Angeles to collaborate on adapting the book for film. For 20 years, she’s rebuffed Walt Disney’s (Tom Hanks) efforts to make this happen, not wanting her beloved characters to be altered. The Mr. Banks character – the father of the children Mary Poppins nannies – is based on Travers’ own papa, a bank manager and a drunkard who died when she was 7 years old. Hanks doesn’t try to mimic the avuncular businessman, but he seeks to capture the essence of the man. Thompson is great; expect her among the next round of Oscar nominations.

THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY3 1/2 stars Rated PG The versatile Ben Stiller plays James Thurber’s classic dreamer, Walter Mitty, who puts himself in fantasy situations with daring femme fatales and dastardly villains, with him as the hero who saves the day. Then he gets the chance to be a real hero on a real adventure. Co-stars Kristen Wiig, Adam Scott and Shirley MacLaine, with cameos from Andy Richter and Conan O’Brien.

WALKING WITH DINOSAURS2 stars Rated PG This animated feature about dinosaurs is not the usual kiddie film of cute-but-doomed characters. The realistic 3D depiction of prehistoric creatures features the voices of Charlie Rowe, Karl Urban, Angourie Rice, John Leguizamo and Justin Long.

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET3 1/2 starsRated R Hotshot young stockbroker Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) has a mansion, yacht, private jet, six cars, a steady supply of cocaine and everything else money can buy. Debauchery isn’t a habit for him; it’s a way of life. It’s the late ’80s, so anything goes. Co-stars Jonah Hill, Rob Reiner, Margot Robbie, Jon Favreau, Kyle Chandler and Matthew McConaughey.